Frequently Asked Questions

VISA, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, and Purchase Orders, bank wire and checks are accepted. If using a Purchase Order, please include a copy with your order (fax or email). For bank wire transfer details, click here.

For PDF and survey hosting purchases, please provide the name and email address of the person responsible for administering the product so that they can retrieve the document (which will display their name on it) or set-up the survey.

You do not need proof of qualifications for product purchase. We provide information for utilizing and understanding our instruments, primarily via the product manuals. Mind Garden believes in responsible test use and you can review our description of it in FAQ Products #1.

Manuals and some workbooks are available in paper format. FedEx charges apply.

3. Can I use a different online survey system to administer Mind Garden products?

To administer a Mind Garden instrument via an outside survey website

1. Purchase the number of Remote Online Survey Licenses needed (PDF format).2. Complete the short Remote Online Use Application Form (included with order of Remote Online Survey License).

Please note: not all instruments may be put on an outside website. Check the product page to see if a Remote Online Survey License is available. If it is unavailable, the instrument may not be put on an outside website.

DISTRIBUTING AN ENTIRE INSTRUMENT IN EITHER THE TEXT OF AN EMAIL OR AS AN EMAIL ATTACHMENT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

The Remote Online Use Application Form includes:

Your name, email, phone number, and institution

Your research project title

Mind Garden instrument name

Your Mind Garden invoice or sales receipt number

The outside online survey website that you will be using.

A statement that:

...you have compensated Mind Garden for the appropriate number of reproductions and will compensate Mind Garden for every administration of the online survey. Note: An administration or license is considered "used" when a respondent views one or more items/questions, regardless of whether the respondent completes the survey.

...you will put the instrument copyright (including www.mindgarden.com) on every page containing questions/items from this instrument.

...you will remove your survey from the survey site at the conclusion of your data collection.

...your survey will not be on the "open web". CAUTION: If you do not require a unique login for each respondent, the survey method you use may elicit a large number of responses to your survey. YOU are responsible for compensating Mind Garden for every administration, regardless of circumstances.

Our license and data collection products are deliberately priced at a reasonable level for the academic environment. In addition to offering favorable pricing on purchases of large quantities by any customer, we also offer a student discount for unfunded student research. To read more about our student discount, please click here.

5. Do licenses expire?

PDF License Expiration: Yes, PDF licenses expire. Since it is a license, it needs to be for a limited term. We recommend you reproduce the purchased number before the expiration date of your License to Reproduce (or Remote Online Survey License). The expiration date is noted at the top of your PDF. License expiration can be extended when requested via email prior to expiration.

Transform™ Survey Hosting: Transform licenses do not expire.

6. What is the Return Policy?

You cannot return a PDF purchase.

Most of our instruments are available in PDF format. PDF files can be read and printed on your computer with Adobe Reader, available free at Adobe. You’ll know a product is available in PDF format when you see "PDF" or "PDF License" under "Delivery Method" in the purchase box on the product page. Select your product carefully because you cannot “return” a PDF document.

c. If you are a new user, complete the GREEN info fields. If you are a returning user, complete the BLUE info fields.

Your PDF file(s) will be in My Documents in the left menu and will remain on our server for approximately one year. For survey hosting, click on the campaign name or assessment and proceed through the tabs to set up or take your survey.

It is important to view psychological assessments in their context. An assessment is a set of items designed to get an understanding of a person's situation. There are a number of ways that assessments can relay inaccurate information. Following are a set of questions you might want to ask when using or being administered a psychological assessment:

Does the assessment measure what I need to know?

Is there evidence that it measures what it purports to measure (validity)?

Is there evidence that you would interpret the items in the same way if you took the assessment again (reliability)?

Did I understand the instructions, and were the directions clearly communicated to me?

Am I interpreting the words in the same way as the people for whom the assessment was developed?

Was I paying attention to the assessment when I answered it (not distracted)?

Did I answer the items openly and honestly so that it was an accurate reflection of my thinking?

Was the assessment scored correctly? Were my responses calculated without error?

Was inaccuracy of the assessment taken into account?

Given the set of items, was the interpretation of my responses consistent with my "true thinking"?

Does the interpretation of my assessment results seem reasonable to me?

When I am compared to the norms for the assessment, does it make a difference if I am demographically or culturally different?

Was my life context taken into account in the interpretation of the assessment?

Am I being classified based on this assessment and would I consider that classification fair and accurate?

2. What is the difference between a License to Reproduce and a Remote Online Survey License?

A License to Reproduce and a Remote Online Survey License give you different types of permission to use the instrument without using our Transform™ survey hosting system. Both Licenses to Reproduce and Remote Online Survey Licenses are delivered to you as a downloadable PDF document.

A License to Reproduce permits you to reproduce and administer the instrument via paper + pen

A Remote Online Survey License permits you to administer the instrument via an outside online survey site. You retype and reformat the instrument. You must also complete a Remote Online Use Application Form (included with order of Remote Online Survey License) to receive permission to use the instrument online.

License to Reproduce and Remote Online Survey License are for non-commercial or personal research only. The license typically includes all components needed to administer the instrument, e.g. forms, scoring, answer sheet, etc.

The Manual is sold separately and includes details on scoring interpretation, normative comparisons, reliability, validity, etc. We highly recommend purchase of the Manual with every instrument.

How do self-rating instruments work?These instruments allow individuals to rate themselves. Order the instrument and number of assessments needed. Enter each participant’s name and email address on your Transform campaign page. They will receive an invitation to complete online survey from invite@mindgarden.com. You can review their complete report from your Transform campaign page. Researchers can use the same online assessment system and receive a data file for analysis. Download the Basic Campaign Tutorial.

How do multi-rater instruments work?These instruments allow self/observer assessment, meaning that several people rate a target individual. Order the instrument and number of assessments needed (this number is the number of people being assessed, not the number of people doing the assessing). Enter the name and email address of each person you wish to assess (the survey participants).

The email you send via Transform will provide each individual a Participant Page. This customized page lays out the steps by which they will:

Input names and email addresses for the individuals who will rate them.

Send the raters an email invitation.

Complete their self-rating online.

Check back to see that raters have completed the survey; remind them if necessary.

You as administrator also have full access to these Participant Pages so you can see their raters. You may enter the rater information yourself if you wish. You can always go back to your Transform Portfolio to check on the status of the participants or their raters. You can review their complete report from your Transform campaign page. Researchers can use the same online assessment system and receive a data file for analysis. Download the Multi-rater Campaign Tutorial.

Expiration of Data and Web AssessmentsYour data and unused licenses will be available on the Mind Garden Transform system for at least one year from data creation or assessment. You may request to retain it longer via email during the one-year period.

To administer a Mind Garden instrument via an outside survey website

1. Purchase the number of Remote Online Survey Licenses needed (PDF format).2. Complete the short Remote Online Use Application Form (included with order of Remote Online Survey License).

Please note: not all instruments may be put on an outside website. Check the product page to see if a Remote Online Survey License is available. If it is unavailable, the instrument may not be put on an outside website.

DISTRIBUTING AN ENTIRE INSTRUMENT IN EITHER THE TEXT OF AN EMAIL OR AS AN EMAIL ATTACHMENT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.

The Remote Online Use Application Form includes:

Your name, email, phone number, and institution

Your research project title

Mind Garden instrument name

Your Mind Garden invoice or sales receipt number

The outside online survey website that you will be using.

A statement that:

...you have compensated Mind Garden for the appropriate number of reproductions and will compensate Mind Garden for every administration of the online survey. Note: An administration or license is considered "used" when a respondent views one or more items/questions, regardless of whether the respondent completes the survey.

...you will put the instrument copyright (including www.mindgarden.com) on every page containing questions/items from this instrument.

...you will remove your survey from the survey site at the conclusion of your data collection.

...your survey will not be on the "open web". CAUTION: If you do not require a unique login for each respondent, the survey method you use may elicit a large number of responses to your survey. YOU are responsible for compensating Mind Garden for every administration, regardless of circumstances.

Click here to see a sample Data+scoring download file from the Transform system. While the sample is in PDF format, the actual data files are in .csv format. The instrument used was the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory™.

6. How do I access translations?

Our products are available in over 45 languages and new translations are added all the time. Translations are provided free of charge with purchase of the English version. For a list of available translations, see the Translations tab on the product page or scroll through translations in the drop-down menu in the purchase box.

PDF Licenses: Translations are provided as a bilingual PDF file including the instrument in English, and on separate pages, in translation. If you need more than one translation, please contact us.

Transform™ Survey Hosting: Regardless of which translation you select to purchase, all available online translations will be accessible to all survey participants on Transform.

Please note that we cannot assure translation quality: many are made by individual researchers and we are not necessarily familiar with the particular language or dialect. Some of the translations are partial and typically do not have validation data. Basically, we offer whatever is available to facilitate your work.

Don’t see the translation you need?Request permission to make your own translation. Reference information for the ideal translation process is available here.

First, check the list of available translations on the product page - via the "Translations" tab. If you do not see the translation you need, you can request to make a translation.

1. Purchase the number of licenses you need for your survey.2. Complete the Translation Application Form. We will respond within 5 business days.3. Review the Translation Agreement document we provide, sign it & return it to us.4. Proceed with your translation and send us a copy.

The Translation Agreement has two key points:

You will send us your translation. We offer translations free of charge to researchers and other customers.

All rights to the translation belong to the instrument authors and copyright holders

8. Do licenses expire?

PDF License Expiration: Yes, PDF licenses expire. Since it is a license, it needs to be for a limited term. We recommend you reproduce the purchased number before the expiration date of your License to Reproduce or Remote Online Survey License. The expiration date is noted at the top of your PDF.

Transform™ Survey Hosting: Transform licenses do not expire.

9. Do I need a Manual for the instrument?

We highly recommend that you purchase the Manual for your instrument. Most Manuals contain details on reliability, validity, scoring, interpretation, and normative comparisons plus a review-only copy of the instrument, e.g. for IRB research proposal. To use the instrument, purchase one license for each administration.

10. What are Mind Garden's policies on Copyright and Publishing?

Reproductions in any Medium

All reproductions in any medium need to be purchased from the publisher. The copyright holders and publisher need to be compensated for their work. Mind Garden provides reasonable fees as a function of the number of reproductions.

Permission to put Sample Items into a Dissertation or Thesis

Permission to put sample items of an instrument into a dissertation or thesis appendix is provided when license to reproduce is purchased. This provides permission for up to five sample items to show the characteristics of the instrument. Mind Garden will only provide permission for up to five sample items. Even if permission is given for up to five sample items for reproduction, they should not represent a whole scale (e.g., the MLQ has four item scales). The goal is to provide an example of content, not to provide a usable scale.

Permission for Sample Items in Published Works

To request permission to include sample items in a published work, please provide us with the following information via our online Publication Application Form.

your contact information

a copy of what you want to reproduce

the instrument and/or manual the reproduction is extracted from

the author of the publication

the title of the article or book (publication)

where it is to be published

the publisher contact information.

Mind Garden will only provide permission for as many as three to five sample items depending on the instrument (for the MBI three items are allowed). Even if permission is given for three to five sample items for reproduction, they should not represent a whole scale (e.g., the MLQ has four-item scales). The goal is to provide an example of content, not to provide a usable scale. In very rare cases, we may allow entire instruments to be published -- contact us via our contact form on this website.

Factor tables need to communicate the core meaning of the item loading into the factor but the entire item does not need to be reproduced. Mind Garden provides a few words for each item that captures the core meaning. Thus, the goal is realized without violating the copyright.

Alteration of Items and Instruments

When a psychological instrument is altered it may affect the validity and/or reliability of the instrument because the meaning of the items and/or the directions changes. This meaning change has unknown consequences on how well the instrument predicts behavior and/or represents the constructs measured by the instrument. If you would like to alter a Mind Garden instrument, please read our policy.

Administering Only Part of an Instrument

If only part of an instrument is administered, the context changes and the validity properties of the instrument may not still be represented. A warning to this effect should be made in the article.

Using our Instruments Online

If you need to put the instrument on the Web, Mind Garden has a very clear policy that is based on solid research methodology. The policy on the Mind Garden website should be followed and such use needs to be cleared with Mind Garden.

Translations of Instruments

Translations need a signed translation agreement with Mind Garden. Mind Garden maintains on its website a page designating existing translations and how to receive the translation. If a translation needs to be developed, the translator must enter into an agreement to do so. Information for establishing a translation agreement appears on the Mind Garden website. All rights to the translation go to the copyright holder and a copy of the translation needs to be sent to the publisher. As a service to the research community, Mind Garden makes these translations available.

The Manual vs. the Instrument Itself

There is a difference between an instrument manual and the instrument itself. If you are referring to the manual, look on the title page of the manual for the title and copyright date; if you are referring to the instrument, look on the first page of the instrument.

If you still have a question, just call us at (650) 322-6300 USA or use our contact form here.

11. Can I alter Mind Garden instruments?

If you would like to alter a Mind Garden instrument please read our policy below and register your intent by completing the Alteration Application Form.

1) When a psychological instrument is altered it may affect the validity and/or reliability of the instrument because the meaning of the items and/or the instructions change. This meaning change has unknown consequences on how well the instrument predicts behavior and/or represents the constructs measured by the instrument. Typically, journal editors and reviewers will ask for a complete construct validation study when items and scale anchors are changed, which indicates the importance they assign to changing original items in scales and instruments.

2) Our authors retain the rights to any of their items or scales that are altered, and therefore it is important to assign all alterations to the copyright holder.

3) When research from an altered instrument is published it brings in a degree of ambiguity about:

a) the nature of difference from the original instrument,b) the results of the study as a characterization that might differ from the original instrument,c) how the validity and reliability reported might be affected by the alteration.

For these reasons, we have to be sure that any alterations are clearly indicated in the write-up of the study to be published. Moreover, we have a policy of not publishing entire scales and therefore, when items are altered only a few sample items should be provided to the journal. Please see our copyright policy (FAQ Policies and Legal #1).

4) At no time may any entire instrument or scale, altered or original, be included in any publication as per Mind Garden policy (FAQ Policies and Legal #1).

5) Mind Garden gets a number of inquiries from researchers trying to find an altered instrument they have read about in a publication. Thus, it is important for Mind Garden to maintain a database of alterations to instruments to assist in these inquiries. Mind Garden does not sanction the alteration but needs to keep track of them.

6) If you wish to put an altered instrument online it is important to review Mind Garden's online policy about this.

1 or more raters at a higher organizational level, e.g. the leader’s boss

3 or more raters at a lower organizations level, e.g. the leader’s employees

Some peer raters at the same organizational level who have observed the leader’s behavior

Other raters may be added as needed, even those outside the organization, e.g. previous coworkers or someone who serves on a board or committee with that leader.

Make sure to use accurate email addresses for successful survey delivery.

2. How are Raters represented in Group Reports?

Since each leader has a different number of raters, leaders with more raters would be overweighted in the average score if the data reflected all ratings. In the multi-rater Group Report rater averages are calculated by first averaging all ratings for a leader and then averaging all the averages per leader. In this way each leader is equally weighted in the data.

3. What are Rater Roll-ups?

To protect rater confidentiality in the MLQ™ 360 Leader's Report and MLQ Multi-rater Group Report, the data from a lone rater at a given organizational level will automatically roll-up as follows:

The "Request Report" button will appear only if one of the following ratings shows as "Complete": Self or Higher or 2 or more raters.

4. How do I categorize Leaders on the MLQ™?

We do not recommend using cut-off values and then labeling each leader, as it limits the leader information.

The MLQ measures leadership behaviors and their frequency of occurrence. So when we discuss transformational leadership, we discuss it in terms of degree or frequency of occurrence. Categorizing leaders limits the information in both practical and statistical terms.

But if categorization is unavoidable, use the MLQ Manual percentile charts. Leaders who score above the 90th percentile on all 5 I’s can be defined as more Transformational. Leaders who score above the 90th percentile on all 5 I’s and below the 50th percentile on CR, MBEA, MBEP and LF scales can be defined as less Transactional.

5. Should I use the Self Form of the MLQ?

Answer from co-author Bruce Avolio:

Occasionally it is appropriate to only have a leader rate her or himself, with no rater/observer feedback. However, there are many reasons to have others rate a leader's leadership behavior. Here are some important points to consider:

The choice of rater source should be tied to the research or developmental question. If you are interested only in how leaders think about or perceive their own leadership behavior, then collect only self ratings. In every other instance, why not collect observation data from other sources?

Leaders can have unique relationships with peers, followers and other leaders, and the ratings will differ accordingly.

Since leadership is in the 'eye of the beholder', why collect data from only the 'self beholder'?

There is considerable evidence indicating that self and other ratings often do not agree, for reasons mentioned above.

The Self form does not measure actual leadership behavior, rather it measures only the self-perception of leadership.

To expand on this important point, at core, leadership is essentially in the eye of the beholder. Thus, to the degree that one has only one source, the validity of that source is in question. This is true of every type of research or assessment instrument, including personality instruments. If a leader has 10 followers and you get a rating from just one, it is unlikely that that rating will represent the 9 other views -- especially if that rater has worked for the leader for one month or less. If we get ratings from peers, that may not generalize to followers. If we get ratings from the leader him/herself, the question one has to answer is, how representative are those ratings of all other sources? If your interest is to understand or change the self-perceptions of a leader, then measuring only self ratings is appropriate. If the goal is to measure leadership behavior, then measuring raters'/observers' perceptions of that leader is the most appropriate.

7. How do I score the MLQ with missing data?

To score the MLQ with missing data (or non-response), MLQ co-author Bruce Avolio says, “There are lots of opinions on how to deal with this. I would generally say if you have 3 items for a scale, keep that data and plug in the mean [of those 3 for the 4th item], as that won’t change your results.”

Go to our homepage and click on LOGIN in the upper right corner (under SEARCH).

You will be redirected to the Transform login page.

Returning users: Complete the BLUE info fields and click Login.

New users: Complete the GREEN info fields. Your case-sensitive password can be of any length. Check "I agree to Mind Garden's terms of service" and then click Create.

After logging in or creating a login, you will enter your Transform Portfolio. Here, you can complete assessments, download purchased documents, view your reports, and manage your campaigns.

2. What should I do if I forgot my password?

First, go to our homepage and click on LOGIN in the upper right corner (under SEARCH). You will be redirected to the Transform login page.

At the bottom of the BLUE box, click "I forgot my password." On the next page, type the email address associated with your Transform account and click "Reset my password". A new password will be emailed to you from invite@mindgarden.com.

Once you receive your new password, go back to the Transform login page. Complete the BLUE info fields using your new password and click Login.

On your Transform Portfolio, click Account in the left menu. This takes you to your Account Settings page. On the right of your Profile tab, click Change password to create your new personal password for your account.

The password sent to you from invite@mindgarden.com will remain as your password until you change your password via the Account Settings page.

3. How do I update my account info?

To access your Account Settings, log into Transform and click Account in the left menu. In the Profile tab, click Update to change your name and/or email address. Click Change Password to create a new password for this account.

4. Can I include an instrument in my Thesis or Dissertation?

For research proposal:

Need a copy of the instrument for your research proposal? For most instruments you can purchase the Manual, which includes a sample copy of the instrument for review.

Proposal approved – now what?

Purchase the licenses to administer your survey. Your licenses will include a letter of permission specifying the number of sample items (3-5, depending upon the instrument) you may include in your thesis or dissertation appendix and the copyright statement to use.

The entire instrument may not be reproduced in a thesis or dissertation. If you find a complete instrument published in any source, please let us know.

We can customize Group Reports and Individual Reports to reflect demographics or other questions added to your custom survey (see FAQ Support #5). Group Report customization starts at $400. Individual Report customization is priced on a case-by-case basis. Visit our Customization page to learn more.

7. How do I access translations?

Our products are available in over 45 languages and new translations are added all the time. Translations are provided free of charge with purchase of the English version. For a list of available translations, see the Translations tab on the product page or scroll through translations in the drop-down menu in the purchase box.

PDF Licenses: Translations are provided as a bilingual PDF file including the instrument in English, and on separate pages, in translation. If you need more than one translation, please contact us.

Transform™ Survey Hosting: Regardless of which translation you select to purchase, all available online translations will be accessible to all survey participants on Transform.

Please note that we cannot assure translation quality: many are made by individual researchers and we are not necessarily familiar with the particular language or dialect. Some of the translations are partial and typically do not have validation data. Basically, we offer whatever is available to facilitate your work.

Don’t see the translation you need?Request permission to make your own translation. Reference information for the ideal translation process is available here.

First, check the list of available translations on the product page - view the "Translations" tab. If you do not see the translation you need, you can request to make a translation.

1. Purchase the number of licenses you need for your survey.2. Complete the Translation Application Form. We will respond within 5 business days.3. Review the Translation Agreement document we provide, sign it & return it to us.4. Proceed with your translation and send us a copy.

The Translation Agreement has two key points:

You will send us your translation. We offer translations free of charge to researchers and other customers.

All rights to the translation belong to the instrument authors and copyright holders

9. What is Transform™?

Transform is a survey hosting system by Mind Garden that enables individuals to assess themselves, to assess others, to be assessed by others, or a combination of these via the multi-rater instruments (e.g. MLQ). Transform creates a unique identity for each participant, keeping the data linked for assessments of an individual over time and across many instruments.

With survey hosting via Transform, you have license to use the instrument and you avoid having to retype, reformat and design your survey. Automated scoring is included: researchers have easy access to tabulated raw data and scale scores per respondent; and interpretive reports are available for assessment and development work.

How do self-rating instruments work?These instruments allow individuals to rate themselves. Order the instrument and number of assessments needed. Enter each participant’s name and email address on your Transform campaign page. They will receive an invitation to complete the online survey from invite@mindgarden.com. You can review their complete report from your Transform campaign page. Researchers can use the same online assessment system and receive a data file for analysis.

How do multi-rater instruments work?These instruments allow self/observer assessment, meaning that several people rate a target individual. Order the instrument and number of assessments needed (this number is the number of people being assessed, not the number of people doing the assessing). Enter the name and email address of each person you wish to assess (the survey participants).

The email you send via Transform will provide each individual a Participant Page. This customized page lays out the steps by which they will:

Input names and email addresses for the individuals who will rate them.

Send the raters an email invitation.

Complete their self-rating online.

Check back to see that raters have completed the survey; remind them if necessary.

You as administrator also have full access to these Participant Pages so you can see their raters. You may enter the rater information yourself if you wish. You can always go back to your Transform Portfolio to check on the status of the participants or their raters. You can review their complete report from your Transform campaign page. Researchers can use the same online assessment system and receive a data file for analysis.

The Transform system design is based on the research method practiced at the Institute of Personality Assessment and Research (IPAR) at UC Berkeley (now the Institute of Personality and Social Research). A characterization of the research with the IPAR model can be found in the book Portraits of Type: An MBTI Research Compendium by Avril Thorne and Harrison Gough (CAPT, 1999).

10. Does Transform™ Survey Hosting System work with all web browsers?

If your computer uses Internet Explorer version 6 (IE6), you may have difficulty accessing or using Mind Garden’s Transform system (or any other online survey website).

How to identify your web browser:

1. Open the web browser2. Pull down the Help menu at the top3. Select "About Internet Explorer"4. If the version begins with a 6, you will have difficulty with almost any current online survey.

Possible Solutions:

Upgrade to Internet Explorer 7 or later, which is free over the internet (check with your IT person first)

OR, install or use another web browser such as FireFox, Safari or Chrome

OR, access the survey from another computer that does not use IE 6.

11. Does Mind Garden offer statistics interpretation services?

We recommend that you purchase the instrument Manual. The Manual contains details on reliability, validity, administration, scoring, normative comparisons and interpretation of your data plus a sample copy of the instrument for review. Need more help? We recommend Statistics Solutions, a team of Ph.D research methodologists and statisticians who specialize in psychological survey instruments, research design, data analysis, etc. Click here to contact Statistics Solutions.

12. What should I do if I Have missing data (MLQ, and Social Climate or Environment Scales)?

MLQ

To score the MLQ with missing data (or non-response), MLQ co-author Bruce Avolio says, “There are lots of opinions on how to deal with this. I would generally say if you have 3 items for a scale, keep that data and plug in the mean [of those 3 for the 4th item], as that won’t change your results.”

Social Climate or Environment Scales

To score a Social Climate or Environment Scale, e.g. the Family Environment Scale: if more than half of the 9 (that is, 5 or more) items on a given subscale are missing, then that subscale score is considered missing. When only a few items are missing, you can produce subscale scores “comparable” to the regular 9-item scores as follows:

1 missing item: subtotal the available data for that subscale (8 items) and multiply by 9/8 for the subscale final score.

2 missing items: subtotal the available 7 items and multiply by 9/7

3 missing items: subtotal the available 6 items and multiply by 9/6

4 missing items: subtotal the available 5 items and multiply by 9/5

13. How do I calculate a T-score?

Calculate a T-score by using the formula:

T = 50 +(10*(raw score – mean))/standard deviation.

Raw score is the person’s score on the scale; mean and standard deviation values are for the reference normative population, found in the Manual.

14. I can't find or didn't receive my Order. What should I do?

You will receive an order with instructions for login and access to your materials. If you don’t see the email (check your Spam folder), please follow these steps:

c. If you are a new user, complete the GREEN info fields. If you are a returning user, complete the BLUE info fields.

Your PDF file(s) will be in My Documents in the left menu and will remain on our server for approximately one year. For survey hosting, click on the campaign name or assessment and proceed through the tabs to set up or take your survey.

15. What are Campaign Norms?

To create or edit a norm name contact us. This may be done before or after campaign creation.

You can set a norm (using the Set Norm feature) any time after a campaign is created.

You can set only one norm -- at a time -- per campaign.

You can turn norms on and off for a campaign by using the Set Norm feature.

You may set a different norm for each campaign; norms are set from within each campaign.

Norms appear only in the Norms section of the report.

All campaigns you set with this norm name will have the data from the participants included in the report. For a list of campaigns whose data is included in a norm, click Account in the green box on the left, then click the Norm tab.

If you change/reset the norm for the campaign after you initially generate a report, you will need to regenerate the report for that norm to appear in it, by clicking on the report name under the Report Management tab.

All reproductions in any medium need to be purchased from the publisher. The copyright holders and publisher need to be compensated for their work. Mind Garden provides reasonable fees as a function of the number of reproductions.

Permission to put Sample Items into a Dissertation or Thesis

Permission to put sample items of an instrument into a dissertation or thesis appendix is provided when license to reproduce is purchased. This provides permission for up to five sample items to show the characteristics of the instrument. Mind Garden will only provide permission for up to five sample items. Even if permission is given for up to five sample items for reproduction, they should not represent a whole scale (e.g., the MLQ has four item scales). The goal is to provide an example of content, not to provide a usable scale.

Permission for Sample Items in Published Works

To request permission to include sample items in a published work, please provide us with the following information via our online Publication Application Form.

your contact information

a copy of what you want to reproduce

the instrument and/or manual the reproduction is extracted from

the author of the publication

the title of the article or book (publication)

where it is to be published

the publisher contact information.

Mind Garden will only provide permission for as many as three to five sample items depending on the instrument (for the MBI three items are allowed). Even if permission is given for three to five sample items for reproduction, they should not represent a whole scale (e.g., the MLQ has four-item scales). The goal is to provide an example of content, not to provide a usable scale. In very rare cases, we may allow entire instruments to be published -- contact us via our contact form on this website. The permission agreement fee is $100 (other charges may apply).

Factor tables need to communicate the core meaning of the item loading into the factor but the entire item does not need to be reproduced. Mind Garden provides a few words for each item that captures the core meaning. Thus, the goal is realized without violating the copyright.

Alteration of Items and Instruments

When a psychological instrument is altered it may affect the validity and/or reliability of the instrument because the meaning of the items and/or the directions changes. This meaning change has unknown consequences on how well the instrument predicts behavior and/or represents the constructs measured by the instrument. If you would like to alter a Mind Garden instrument, click here to read our policy and complete the application form.

Administering Only Part of an Instrument

If only part of an instrument is administered, the context changes and the validity properties of the instrument may not still be represented. A warning to this effect should be made in the article.

Translations need a signed translation agreement with Mind Garden. Mind Garden maintains on its website a page designating existing translations and how to receive the translation. If a translation needs to be developed, the translator must enter into an agreement to do so. Click here to read our policy and complete the application form; All rights to the translation go to the copyright holder and a copy of the translation needs to be sent to the publisher. As a service to the research community, Mind Garden makes these translations available.

The Manual vs. the Instrument Itself

There is a difference between an instrument manual and the instrument itself. If you are referring to the manual, look on the title page of the manual for the title and copyright date, if you are referring to the instrument, look on the first page of the instrument.

If you still have a question, just call us at (650) 322-6300 USA or use our contact form here.

2. Can I include an instrument in my Thesis or Dissertation?

For research proposal:

Need a copy of the instrument for your research proposal? For most instruments you can purchase the Manual, which includes a sample copy of the instrument for review.

Proposal approved – now what?

Purchase the licenses to administer your survey. Your licenses will include a letter of permission specifying the number of sample items (3-5, depending upon the instrument) you may include in your thesis or dissertation appendix and the copyright statement to use.

The entire instrument may not be reproduced in a thesis or dissertation. If you find a complete instrument published in any source, please let us know.

If you haven’t purchased a Transform product or been invited to participate in a Transform survey, your Transform account will not be of use to you yet. Please view OUR PRODUCTS, TOPICS, or YOUR ROLE pages to explore our products and services.

Login

From our homepage, click Login. This will take you to our Transform login page.

New Users: If you haven’t created an account with us before, use the right-side green box to enter your email address, choose a password, and agree to our terms of service. Then click Create.

If you were invited to participate in a survey, please follow the directions provided in your invitation email.

Returning Users: If you have already created a Transform account, enter your email address and password in the left-side blue box and click Login. If you forgot your password, a temporary password can be sent to you at the email address provided.

Any Pending & New assessments, manual downloads, and reports will be listed on your Transform homepage. You can also click the menu on the left to view all your Documents, Assessments, Reports, and Campaigns (if applicable).

Start an assessment

Click on the assessment name to begin the survey.

You will receive an email when a report is ready for you. If you are expecting a report but have not received an email about this, please contact your campaign administrator. To view a report, click on “My Reports” and click on the name of the report. Transform will immediately generate your report (this may take a few moments). The report can be downloaded as a PDF or viewed in a browser anytime via your Transform account.

Create a campaign

Login and click on Campaigns. A list of your available forms will be listed. Select the appropriate form and click the blue Add a Campaign button. Follow the onscreen instructions and input your campaign settings: the campaign name, survey invitation method, participants, etc.

New Users: Use the right-side green box to enter your email address, choose a password, and agree to our terms of service. Click Create.

Returning Users: If you have already created a Transform account, enter your email address and password in the left-side blue box and click Login. Click “I forgot my password” to request a temporary password if needed.

New User: If you haven’t created an account with Mind Garden before, use the green box on the right to enter your email address, choose a password, and agree to our terms of service. Click Create.

Returning User: Check that you are using the same email address that is associated with your Transform account. Click “I forgot my password” to request a temporary password if needed. When you have logged in with the temporary password, go to the Account page, Profile tab, and click Change Password.

If you were invited to complete an assessment, your survey administrator may have chosen a method that limits the number of survey participants. Please contact the survey administrator who sent you the invitation to inquire about completing the survey.

If you are trying to access Transform as a Rater (you are rating someone in a multi-rater campaign such as the MLQ 360) then you do not login. Click on the link you received in your survey invitation to access the survey.

I used the wrong email address when I created my Transform account.

Login to Transform using the email address you used to create the account. Go to the Account page and click Update. Change the email address to your preferred address and click the blue Update button to save.

How can I change the name on the account?

Login to Transform. Go to the Account page, Profile tab, and click Update. Type in your preferred name and email address and click the Update button to save your changes.

Can I have multiple administrators on my Transform account?

Contact us to purchase licenses which will be shared by multiple administrators. Please note that only one administrator has access to each campaign. For multiple administrators to access a campaign, the administrators must share the Transform login associated with that campaign.

I forgot my password.

Go to the Transform login page. In the left-side blue box, enter your email address and click “I forgot my password” to receive a temporary password. Login to Transform using the temporary password. Go to the Account page, Profile tab, and click Change Password to create a password of your choosing. Make your edits and click the blue Update button to save.

My password is not working.

Go to the Transform login page. Make sure you are using the correct email address associated with your Transform account.

In the left-side blue box, click “I forgot my password” to receive a temporary password. Login to Transform using the temporary password. Go to the Account page, Profile tab, and click Change Password to create a password of your choosing. Make your edits and click the blue Update button to save.

How do I request a new password?

Go to the Transform login page. In the left-side blue box, click “I forgot my password” to receive a temporary password. Login to Transform using the temporary password. Go to the Account page, Profile tab, and click Change Password. Make your edits and click the blue Update button to save.

How do I change/update my password?

Login to Transform using your current password. Go to the Account page, Profile tab, and click Change Password. Make your edits and click the blue Update button to save.

I requested a temporary password, but did not receive it.

Make sure you requested the password to be sent to the email address associated with your Transform account. It may take a few minutes to receive your new password. If you continue to experience issues, please contact us.

Can I have more than one Transform account (personal vs. business)?

You may have one Transform account per email address. We do not limit how many email addresses you use in our Transform system.

I have more than one Transform account. Which one do I use?

For campaign management: Use the account from which you purchased your licenses. Contact us if you would like to switch your licenses to another account or merge your accounts.

I have more than one Transform account. Can I combine the accounts into one account?

A campaign is simply a grouping of participants and it can be as small or as large as you like. You set up a campaign to administer an online survey. Create as many campaigns as you need to organize your work. You can organize your campaigns by work group, by region, or by date for test/retest projects to help you visualize your groups more clearly and help you analyze large amounts of data.

How do I create a campaign?

You must purchase licenses before a campaign can be created. Login to Transform. Click on Campaigns via the left menu. A list of your available forms will be listed. Select the form you want to use and click the blue Add a Campaign button. Follow the onscreen instructions and input your campaign settings: the campaign name, survey invitation method, participants, etc.

2. On the green side of this login page use your email address and create your password (case sensitive) and agree to the Mind Garden Terms of Service.

3. Once you are in Transform (the Mind Garden term for this system) click on the word “Campaigns.” Select the instrument you want to use if you purchased more than one, then click “Add a campaign.“

4. The Campaign Details tab.You can change the name of the default campaign name by editing the "Campaign Name" text box (the campaign name is for your reference since you can create as many campaigns as you want to organize your groups of people). The “Default Language” allows you to administer the instrument in another language if available. The “Campaign Status” allows you to stop access to this assessment. Click “Save & Continue” to get to the next tab.

5. The Email tab. With the option “I’ll Send My Own Email to Participants", you will be provided with a login link to send to participants. It is essential that you add your participants on the Participants tab before sending them an email with this link. Click on “Sample Participant Invitation Email” to know what to add to your email to participants. Be sure to use the link on the email tab, not the example in the Sample email. With the option “Let Mind Garden Send the Invitation Email,” you can read the email that will be sent by clicking on “Preview a sample participant email.” You can use the text box to put a participant response deadline into this email. You can also change the subject line of the email and add text before the Mind Garden text. If you click “Save & Continue” and then come back to the Email tab, you can see your additions to the email to be sent to participants. Click “Save & Continue” to go to the Settings & Licenses tab.

6. The Settings & Licenses tab. The top of the page shows you how many data and report licenses you have. If you have only data licenses you can purchase report licenses if you want reports for some or all of your participants. Report licenses always include a data license because the original responses and scale scores are included in the report price. If you purchased reports, under “Report Management,” you have control as to how/when reports are released to the participants. You can have reports applied to all participants you can add or you can choose which of your participants you want to get reports. You have control of when participants get reports, either you select participants and release the report to their login, you have the reports released immediately when they finish their form, or you choose not to release reports to your participants. This option is to make sure reports are not accidentally released. You can always change the options. A “Norm” is a collection of participants. The collection can be either the participants in a campaign or participants in several campaigns. The norm statistics will show up in individual reports if a norm name is set on the “Settings & Licenses” tab of the campaign. The norm statistics is what is in the group reports. You will need to contact us to have a norm name created for you. The “Purchase Additional Licenses” section provides you with a quick way to purchase services associated with the instrument you are using in this campaign. Click “Save & Continue” to go to the Participants tab.

7. The Participants tab. You can add participants to your campaign by typing their first name (space), last name (space) and email address; then click “Import”. You will then be asked to verify the names/emails; to confirm, click "OK". Once "OK" is clicked, the email invitation will be immediately sent to the participant if you selected the “Let Mind Garden Send the Invitation Email” option; otherwise, you can now send you own email with the link provided on the email tab. As each of your participants completes the assessment, their status will change from "pending" to "complete".

8. The Reports & Data tab.Once participants have completed assessments, click on the “Reports & Data” tab to retrieve their data and reports. If you chose to release reports to your participants, you can do so to the right of the participant name.

How many campaigns can I create?

You can create as many campaigns as you like.

Do my participants see the campaign name?

No. The campaign name is strictly for the survey administrator’s eyes. A descriptive campaign name helps the administrator to easily distinguish one campaign from another.

How do I change the campaign name?

Login to Transform and click on Campaigns. Click on the campaign name and go to Campaign Details. Click the Campaign Name field, make your changes, and click the blue Update button below to save.

How long does a campaign stay open?

A campaign will stay open indefinitely unless you close it.

How do I close a campaign?

Login to Transform. Click on Campaigns and on the campaign that you want to close. Go to the Campaign Details tab. Click on the Campaign Status drop-down menu and select Campaign Closed. Click the Update button to save your changes.

When should I close a campaign?

A closed campaign means that participants can no longer start or complete the survey. No new data will be collected in your campaign. You may wish to close the campaign when you are finished collecting data so your data file and Group Report maintain consistency. You can reopen the campaign if necessary at any time. The data file remains accessible to the survey administrator. Individual Reports also remain accessible by participants and the survey administrator (if applicable).

Does the campaign automatically close based on the Response Deadline date?

No. The response deadline is to communicate your timing to participants. It is a message only and is not enforced by the system.

Can I preset a date to automatically close a campaign?

No. We recommend that you set a reminder on your calendar and login to make the changes at that time.

How do I reopen a campaign?

Login to Transform. Go to Campaigns and click on the campaign that you want to reopen. Go to the Campaign Details tab. Click the Campaign Status drop-down menu and select Campaign Active. Click the Update button to save your changes.

How can I change the response deadline date for my campaign?

Login to Transform and go to Campaigns. Click the campaign name and go to the Email tab. Click on the Response Deadline field[s], make your edits, and click the blue Save button to save your changes.

To communicate the new response deadline date to your participants, Go to the Participants tab. Click the Resend link by all applicable participants’ names to resend the survey invitation with your new deadline.

How do I add participants to my campaign?

Login to Transform and go to Campaigns. Click on the campaign name and go to the Participants tab. Use the white box to type-in or copy/paste the name and email address of each new participant. Click the Import button below, review your entries, and click OK to add your participants to the campaign.

I created my campaign with the wrong form.

Login to Transform. Click on Campaigns in the green menu on the left. Select the form you want and click the blue Add a campaign button to create a new campaign using the correct form. Contact us to delete the campaign that uses the wrong form.

How do I delete a campaign?

We can delete campaigns for you. Contact us with the name of each campaign to delete.

Can I use the same campaign for a Pre and Post survey?

No. A specific participant can be included only once in a campaign. Set up a Pre campaign and a Post campaign with the same participant rosters. Use the email addresses in each data set to compare longitudinal data from a specific individual.

How do I duplicate my campaign (for Pre and Post campaigns)?

Contact us for access to a spreadsheet file containing your participants list. Create a new campaign and copy the spreadsheet data into the Participants tab of your duplicate campaign.

I added participants to the wrong campaign.

We will make the corrections for you. Contact us with the name of the participant(s) to be moved and the names of the incorrect and correct campaigns.

Campaign Administration Settings

How do I administer an assessment as an online survey using Transform?

If you haven’t purchased a Transform product your Transform account will not be of use to you yet. Please view OUR PRODUCTS, TOPICS, or YOUR ROLE pages to explore our products and services. You will need to purchase a Transform Survey Hosting product, an Individual Report product, or a Multi-Rater report product.

LOGIN: From our homepage, click Login. This will take you to our Transform login page.

New User: If you haven’t created an account with us before, use the right-side green box to enter your email address, choose a password, and agree to our terms of service. Then click Create.

Returning User: If you have already created a Transform account, enter your email and password in the left-side blue box and click Login. If you forgot your password, a temporary password can be sent to you at the email address provided.

You must first create a campaign. Login to Transform and click on Campaigns in the left-side green menu. Select the appropriate form and click the blue Add a Campaign button. Follow the onscreen instructions and input your campaign settings: the campaign name, survey invitation method, participants, etc.

What are the administration options on Transform (self-only or rater-only surveys)?

Your survey may be administered in any of several methods. The survey methods vary in how easily your participants can access the survey. The methods also vary in how much control you as survey administrator have over the quality and characteristics of those responding.

Confidentiality: Mind Garden will not sell, distribute, or otherwise use the email addresses of survey participants (see our Privacy Policy for more information).

Normal (email-specific invitations): You import names and email addresses into Transform. After you click Import, then OK, Transform sends an email directly to the participants. You have the option of adding text to the default Mind Garden email. The participant clicks on the invitation link to a login page where they provide their email address, create a password, and go directly into the survey.

Advantage: Gives you as survey administrator the most control over who responds to your survey.

Disadvantage: Requires login to take the survey, which some respondents dislike.

Advantage: Timesaver option available for you to send a reminder to all Pending (Incomplete) participants with a click of a button instead of reminding each participant individually. Contact us to enable this feature on your campaign.

Link Method: Use your own email program to send the survey invitations. You import participant names and email addresses into Transform. The system will generate your survey link but will not send the invitations. The participant receives an invitation email from you and clicks on a link to a login page where they provide their email address, create a password, and go directly into the survey.

Advantage: You have control over who takes your survey. The system will allow only one survey per email address in this campaign.

Disadvantage: You cannot send a reminder email to all Pending (Incomplete) participants with the click of a button because the invitations are sent from your email program.

Special Key Link Method: We provide a survey link for you to distribute. The participant clicks on the special key link to a login page where they provide an email address, create a password, and go directly into the survey. Contact us to enable this feature on your campaign.

You don’t import names and email addresses into the campaign because each participant provides this information at login. This method writes the participant’s email address into the data file (this information can be suppressed at your request).

A special key link will appear in this format: transform.mindgarden.com/login/key/xxxxxx where “xxxxxx” is the campaign ID.

Advantage: Individual Reports can be generated because each participant has logged in with an email address.

Disadvantage: You have less control over who takes your survey. The same person can take the survey more than once if they login with a different email address.

Disadvantage: If the survey link becomes available via internet search, anyone can take your survey and use your purchased licenses.

Disadvantage: You may run out of licenses which blocks any more participants from responding to your survey. You can purchase additional licenses to keep the survey open. Note: a license is considered “used” when the participant sees one or more item from the form (assessments that are started but not completed are considered “used”).

No-Login Method: We provide a no-login survey link that you may post. Participants see this as the least invasive method of taking a survey because they can take it anonymously without login or providing an email address. The no-login method is designed to work with single-rater instruments. Contact us to enable this feature on your campaign.

Note that this link does not automatically appear in your campaign, and it must be provided by Mind Garden staff. No login is required but a cookie is written, associated with that browser and computer for 30 days. After an assessment is completed using that browser and computer, a participant who tries to take the survey there will see a message that the assessment has already been completed. But if another browser or computer is used, it is a whole new usage and the participant can take the survey again.

To have multiple participants take the survey on the same browser and computer, delete the cookie after each completed assessment.

Advantage: Easy and convenient to take the survey, with complete anonymity.

Advantage: You can purchase enough licenses to cover only the number of opened surveys.

Disadvantage: Individual Reports cannot be provided because participants are anonymous.

Disadvantage: A participant may respond to the survey multiple times (although Transform will allow only one survey per browser per computer). You will not know who is responding to your survey and the licenses may be used up by anyone who has the survey link. Be careful where you post the link because if it becomes available via internet search, your licenses may be used by unintended participants and quickly exhausted.

Bulk Upload Method: You create a CSV file with several hundred or several thousands participant email addresses and upload it to your campaign. We provide you a survey link to email to your participants. Participants can only gain access to your survey if their email address is in the bulk upload. Transform keeps track of how many participants have been invited, responded, and completed the survey in the Participants tab of your campaign. You can purchase enough licenses to cover only the number of opened surveys; minimum purchase of 500 licenses is required. Each login to your survey constitutes one license use, even if the survey is not completed. Bulk upload is not available for multi-rater instruments like the MLQ. Contact us to enable this feature on your campaign.

Key-in Method: For customers who want to take advantage of our online automated scoring, but whose respondents use paper/pen surveys, we offer the key-in method. You simply create participant identities in the system and proceed through the surveys, one respondent at a time. Purchase Transform Survey Hosting license for this method. If you have already purchased License to Reproduce, contact us.

What are the administration options on Transform (multi-rater surveys)?

You import names and email addresses into Transform. After you click Import, then OK, Transform sends an email directly to the participant. You have the option of adding text to the Mind Garden email. The participant clicks on the invitation link to a login page, where they provide their email address, create a password, and go to their Participant Page. On this page, the participant can follow the instructions to take their self-assessment, add and invite raters, etc.

How do I administer an assessment anonymously when I need to match Pre and Post data?

You can assign a unique identifier or survey ID to each participant in order to link their anonymous Pre and Post data. Add a custom question to your online survey to ask for this survey ID, and use a no-login link from Mind Garden to administer the survey. Use the survey ID responses in your Pre and Post data output files to link a specific participant’s Pre and Post results.

How can I administer the assessment, but offer privacy to my participants?

Enable the Participant Privacy setting on your Campaign Details tab. Enabling this setting means all participant names and email addresses will be omitted from the campaign data file You will see the reports listed, but you will not have access to any Individual Reports associated with this campaign.

How do I enter collected data (from pencil/paper administration) into Transform for access to data, scoring, Individual Reports, and Group Reports?

Create a campaign. Go to the Email tab and select “I’ll Send My Own Invitation Email to Participants”. This will disable the automatic invitation feature.

Go to the Participants tab and create identities for each participant. You can use real or fake names and email addresses – they will not be notified about the survey. (If you are sending your participants an Individual Report, you may wish to use their real information. Transform can send an email with a link to the report for you when you click Release to Participant.)

After you import the participants into Transform, simply click on the participant name and proceed through the surveys, one participant at a time.

Can the assessment be customized to include additional content?

We offer customization services for your survey administered via our Transform™ online survey system. Survey customization starts at $200 and Group Report customization starts at $400. Visit our Customization page for more information, including what features can be added, process, and pricing.

How do I set the Group Norm?

Contact us to create a Group Norm. Login to Transform and click on Campaigns. Click on the campaign name to access your campaign settings and go to the Settings & Licenses tab. Scroll down to the Norms section and select your Norm from the Set Norm drop-down menu. Click Save & Continue to save your changes. Your Individual Reports and Group Report associated with this campaign will now display the Group Norm scores.

When should I use a Group Norm?

Individual Reports: By setting a Group Norm, each participant’s Individual Report will include a comparison of their scale scores as compared to an aggregate of all participants within the campaign group who have completed the assessment.

When using a Group Norm, it is best not to release the Individual Reports to the participants until all participants have completed the assessment. Another option is to automatically release the reports to the participants as soon as a participant completes the assessment without the Group Norm set. Later, after all participants have completed their assessment, you set the Group Norm and let the participants know that they can re-download their report if they would like to see the group norm comparison.

Group Reports: By setting the same Group Nor across multiple campaigns, you can compare one campaign’s group scores with an average score of all campaign groups with the same Group Norm set.

What are the administration options on Transform (multi-rater surveys)?

You import names and email addresses into Transform. After you click Import, then OK, Transform sends an email directly to the participant. You have the option of adding text to the Mind Garden email. The participant clicks on the invitation link to a login page, where they provide their email address, create a password, and go to their Participant Page. On this page, the participant can follow the instructions to take their self-assessment, add and invite raters, etc.

How do I prevent Participants from adding/seeing their Raters?

Login to Transform and click on Campaigns. Click on the campaign name and go to the Email tab. Select “Let Mind Garden Send the Invitation Email” and scroll to the Rater Response Deadline text box. Enter the deadline date for raters to complete the assessment. After entering the rater email information, re-select the second email option “I’ll Send My Own Invitation to Participants” (this is critical) and click Save & Continue.

Go to the Participants tab. Use the white box to type-in or copy/paste the name and email address of each participant (not raters). Click the Import button below and click OK to add the participants.

In the Current Participants section below, click on a participant’s name to enter the participant’s unique webpage. Go to Step 2 “Complete your Self Rating” and click on “Use this link to access your self rating.” This link opens the participant’s questionnaire in a new tab. Copy the URL and paste it into an email message that you create from your own email program. This URL is unique to this particular participant, so make sure to send the URL to the correct Participant. When the participant clicks on their unique link, they will be taken directly to their self-assessment (they do not login to Transform and they do not create a password. Repeat this process for each participant.

You may now add raters to each participant without the participant adding or seeing their raters.

How do I add Raters for Participants?

Go to the Participants tab within your campaign settings. Click the participant’s name to go to their Participant Page. Use the white box to type-in or copy/paste the name and email address of each new rater. Click the Import button below, review your entries and add their organizational relationship information, and click OK to assign the raters to the participant.

Survey Invitations

How are assessment invitations sent to participants?

Default method: your participants receive an email from invite@mindgarden.com with instructions for Transform login and how to access the assessment.

You also have the option of sending your own survey invitations. See Campaign Administration Settings.

What information is provided in the standard Mind Garden invitation to participants?

To preview the standard Mind Garden invitation, login to Transform and click on Campaigns. Click on the campaign name and go to the Email tab. Select “Let Mind Garden Send the Invitation Email” and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Click Preview a Sample Email.

Can I add my own message to the standard email invitation?

Yes. You can edit the subject line and add introductory text to the standard invitation. Login to Transform and click on Campaigns. Click on the campaign name and go to the Email tab. Select “Let Mind Garden Send the Invitation Email” and scroll down to the section “Add to the Mind Garden Email.” Type in your text and click Save & Continue. Click the preview link(s) to see your changes in the survey invitation.

When are invitations sent to participants?

If you are using the Mind Garden survey invitation method, your invitation will be sent to each participant immediately after you import their name and email address.

Can I preset a date for Mind Garden to send participant invitations?

No. We recommend that you set a reminder on your calendar, and login to add participants and send invitations at that time.

How do I determine if the assessment invitations went out to the participants?

If you chose to “Let Mind Garden Send the Invitation Email” in the Email tab of your campaign settings, assessment invitations will be sent out automatically as you add Participants to your campaign via the Participants tab.

If you chose “I’ll Send My Own Invitation Email to Participants” in the Email tab, it is your responsibility to email the invitation link to the Participants you have added in the Participants tab. If you want Mind Garden to send the invitation email after selecting this Email option and adding your Participants, follow these steps:

2. Go to the Participants tab. Send the invitation to each participant by clicking the green "Resend" link next to their email address and name.

My participants did not receive their assessment invitations.

You can confirm your invitation email settings on the Email tab in your campaign. Mind Garden invitations are sent automatically if you selected “Let Mind Garden Send the Invitation Email” when you import your Participants.

Advise your participants to check their email Spam folder and add Invite@mindgarden.com as a trusted contact.

Check that you used the correct email address for each Participant you added to the campaign. If you entered an incorrect email address, send Mind Garden the edits. After we have made the edits, you will need to resend the invitation to the Participant(s).

To resend an invitation, go to the Participants tab in your campaign settings. Find the participant in the list and click the green Resend link by their email address and name.

If you selected “I’ll Send My Own Invitation Email to Participants” in the Email tab, it is your responsibility to provide the invitation link to the Participants you have added in the Participants tab.

How do I resend survey invitations to participants?

If you have selected to let Mind Garden send your survey invitation emails, a resend option is available for each participant who has not completed the assessment. To resend, go to the Participants tab within the campaign settings and click Resend for each applicable. Contact us for the option to resend all survey invitations with the click of a single button.

Can I send my own invitations to participants?

Yes. Login to Transform and go to Campaigns. Click on the campaign name and go to the Email tab. Select “I’ll Send My Own Email to Participants.” Your standard survey link will display below and you can copy/paste this link into your own survey invitation. Click Save & Continue to save these settings.

For single-rater, self-only or rater-only campaigns: To pre-load participants and send the invitations later via Mind Garden: Click on the Email tab of your campaign settings. Select “I’ll Send My Own Invitation Email to Participants” and click “Save & Continue.” This option lets you add Participants without Mind Garden automatically sending their invitation emails. When you are ready to send the invitation emails, change the Email option to “Let Mind Garden Send the Invitation Email,” and use the Resend link in the Participants tab to individually send participant invitation emails. To automatically send invitation emails to all “pending” participants, contact us for access to the “Resend all” option.

For multi-rater (360-style) campaigns: To pre-load participants and send the invitations later via Mind Garden: Click on the Email tab of your campaign settings. Select “Disable All Invitation Emails from Mind Garden” and click “Save & Continue.” This option lets you add Participants and Raters without Mind Garden automatically sending their invitation emails. When you are ready to send the invitation emails, change the Email option to “Let Mind Garden Send the Invitation Email,” and use the Resend link in the Participants tab to individually send participant or rater invitation emails. To automatically send invitation emails to all “pending” participants and raters, contact us for access to the “Resend all” option.

Manage Participants

How do I add participants to my campaign?

Login to Transform and click on Campaigns. Click on the campaign name and go to the Participants tab. Use the white box to type-in or copy/paste each participant’s name and email address. Click the Import button below, review your entries, and click OK to add your participants to the campaign.

How many participants can I add to one campaign?

You can add participants to the campaign up to the license quantity purchased.

Can I buy a list of participants to take my survey?

Mind Garden does not provide any service for participant acquisition.

How can I make my participants anonymous?

Self-Only or Rater-Only Forms: Use the No-Login Method of administration. With this method of survey administration, we provide a No-Login survey link that you can share with participants. Participants may prefer this method of taking a survey because they can take it anonymously without login or providing an email address. The No-Login method is designed to work with single-rater instruments only.

If you want to send your anonymous participants Individual Reports, contact Mind Garden for a Special Key link to share with your participants. Each participant will use the link to login. When you enable the Participant Privacy setting on your campaign, this will omit all participant names and email addresses from the campaign data file. With this setting you will not have access to any Individual Reports associated with the campaign.

I was unable to add all my participants.

You can add participants to the campaign up to the license quantity purchased. If you are unable to add all your participants, you may have exhausted your license inventory. You can view your license inventory on your Account page or in the campaign, on the Participants tab.

In most cases, yes, participants must login to Transform. However, you can set up the No-Login Survey Method if you prefer. Contact us for a no-login link which will allow your participants to take the assessment anonymously.

My participants cannot login.

If you chose the Standard Survey Method: To access the survey, the participant must login using the same email address you provided on the campaign Participants tab. Once they login, they can change their preferred email address on their Account page. A participant who has forgotten their password can request a temporary password by clicking “I forgot my password” on the login page.

If you chose the No-Login Survey Method: your participants do not need to login. When they click on the Mind Garden no-login link that you provided, they can access the survey directly.

If you chose the Bulk Upload Method or Special Key Link Survey and you have used all available licenses, participants will not be prompted to login. To check your number of available licenses, login, click on Account and click the Licenses tab. To purchase additional licenses, visit www.mindgarden.com or contact us directly.

If the participant is a Rater (they are rating someone in a multi-rater campaign such as the MLQ 360 or Authentic Leadership Questionnaire) then they do not login. The rater should follow the link in their survey invitation. This applies even if the rater is also a participant in a campaign – they log in for their self-only survey but do not login to rate others.

How do I edit participant name/email?

If you entered an incorrect name/email for a participant, please contact us and we can make the edits.

My participant says they have completed the assessment, but they are marked as “pending.” What do I do?

If this occurs, either (a) the participant has not completed the assessment or (b) the participant did not select the “Submit” button to submit their responses. Instruct the participant to re-access the survey to either (a) complete the survey where they left off or (b) to select the “Submit” button.

I added participants to the wrong campaign.

We will make the corrections for you. Contact us with the name of the participant(s) to be moved and the names of the incorrect and correct campaigns.

How do I delete participants?

We can restore unused licenses to your available inventory. Contact us with the name, email address, and campaign for each participant you would like removed. We cannot delete participants who have begun or completed the assessment.

How do I prevent Participants from adding/seeing their Raters?

Login to Transform and click on Campaigns. Click on the campaign name and go to the Email tab. Select “Let Mind Garden Send the Invitation Email” and scroll to the “Rater response deadline” text box. Enter the deadline date for raters to complete the assessment. After entering the rater email information, re-select the second email option “I’ll Send My Own Invitation to Participants” (this is critical) and click “Save & Continue”.

Go to the Participants tab. Use the white box to type-in or copy/paste the name and email address of each participant (not raters). Click the Import button below and click OK to add the participants.

In the Current Participants section below, click on a participant’s name to enter the participant’s unique webpage. Go to Step 2 “Complete your Self Rating” and click on “Use this link to access your self rating.” This link opens the participant’s questionnaire in a new tab. Copy the URL and paste it into an email message that you create from your own email program. This URL is unique to this particular participant, so make sure to send the URL to the correct Participant. When the participant clicks on their unique link, they will be taken directly to their self-assessment (they do not login to Transform and they do not create a password. Repeat this process for each participant.

You may now add raters to each participant without the participant adding or seeing their raters.

How do I add Raters for Participants?

Go to the Participants tab within your campaign settings. Click the participant’s name to go to their Participant Page. Use the white box to type-in or copy/paste the name and email address of each new rater. Click the “Import” button below, review your entries (and add their relationship information for 360 products), and click “OK” to assign the raters to the participant.

Data Access

How do I access my data?

Login to Transform and click on Campaigns. Click on the campaign and go to the Reports & Data tab. Click Data Download.

What data can I access?

Your data file shows results from all completed surveys. We can enable your data file to display data from partially completed surveys. Contact us with the campaign name to request partial data display.

What is the data file format?

The data file is in .csv format (similar to and will open in an Excel spreadsheet). The data file is downloadable and is compatible with SPSS and other statistical software packages. Use the XML data file format option if you are using a language that includes characters other than English.

How often can I download the data?

You can download your data as often as you like – it is dynamically updated as each new survey is completed.

How often is the data updated?

The data file is dynamically updated as each new survey is completed.

How do I anonymize the data?

There are two ways to accomplish this.

1. Use the No-Login method of administration. Participants take the survey anonymously, without login or providing an email address. No login is required but a cookie is written, associated with that browser and computer for 30 days. This allows participants to resume an interrupted survey if needed. The No-Login method is designed to work with single-rater instruments. Contact Mind Garden to set up an assessment with the No-Login method.

2. Enable the Participant Privacy setting on your Campaign Details tab. Enabling this setting means all participant names and email addresses will be omitted from the campaign data file. You will not have access to any Individual Reports associated with this campaign

Reports

What reports are available?

Many of our instruments feature Individual Reports and Group Reports as accessory products.

Individual Report: A report that interprets an individual's scale scores for the selected assessment. Most reports include interpretive text and development tips. You invite participants to take the survey and Transform™ generates their reports. The Individual Report includes a Transform™ Survey Hosting license.

Report About Me: A personal report that interprets your scale scores for the selected assessment. Most reports include interpretive text and development tips. This report includes a Transform Survey Hosting license. You complete the survey and Transform™ generates your report. Transform will connect this report to the "Send To" email provided at checkout. This is for personal use only and requires no campaign administration to access.

Multi-rater/360 Report: A report that compares the participant’s self-assessment (optional) and the raters’ assessment of that participant. Most reports include interpretive text and development tips. Multi-rater/360 Reports include a Transform™ Survey Hosting License.

Group Report: A report that calculates and summarizes average scale scores for a group of participants taking the assessment. The Group Report does not include Transform™ Survey Hosting Licenses – you must purchase this to collect data for your Group Report.

Can the reports be customized to include additional content?

Yes, we offer customization services for Individual, Multi-rater, and Group Reports to include the results of your custom survey. Contact us for a price quote.

How do I access my Individual Report?

You may only access your Individual Report after you complete the assessment and after your survey administrator releases the report to you. Once the Individual Report is released, you will receive an email from invite@mindgarden.com with directions to access your report.

You can access all available reports on Transform™. Login to Transform and click on My Reports (this will only appear if you have a report available). Click on the report you wish to view.

How do I add Individual Reports to an existing campaign?

Login to Transform™ and click on Campaigns. Click on the campaign and go to the Settings & Licenses tab. Your current license inventory is listed in a blue box at the top of the page. To purchase Individual Report licenses, scroll down on the Settings & Licenses tab to the Purchase Additional Licenses section. Click the Individual Report product. You will be redirected to the appropriate purchase page on www.mindgarden.com. Add the Individual Reports to your cart and checkout to add the licenses. Go back into your campaign settings to the Settings & Licenses tab to view/change your Individual Report preferences.

How are Individual Reports released to Participants?

Login to Transform and click on Campaigns. Click on the campaign name and go to the Settings & Licenses tab. Select your report release option from the three choices. Click Save & Continue to save your changes.

As the Administrator, you control if/how/when reports are released to the participants. You can release the reports to participants yourself, or have Transform™ automatically release reports to participants, or not release reports at all. Contact us if you would like to be blocked from viewing Individual Reports.

There is an additional process for Multi-rater Individual Reports: As the administrator, you control when you request each report to be generated and if/how/when the reports are released to participants. If you choose to release the reports yourself, you must request the report and then click the “Release to participant” link. If you choose to have Transform™ automatically release reports to Participants, this will happen immediately after you request the report.

What is the difference between “request report” and “release report” in a multi-rater campaign?

“Request report” creates the report and gives the administrator access but does not give access to the participant. “Release report” gives access to the participant. Participant access cannot be revoked once the report is released.

How do I know when to “request report” in my multi-rater campaign?

You should request the report for a participant when you are ready to view the results of the multi-rater assessment. The “request report” button will appear when the participant [or 2+ same, lower or other level raters; or one higher level rater] completes the assessment.

Requesting the report allows you the administrator to access the report. The participant will not have access to the report until you “release report”. Transform™ automatically updates the report as more raters complete the assessment. Reports with new data will be marked as “new data” in your Reports & Data tab in your campaign settings.

How can I add a Group Report?

If you have already purchased a Group Report for this form:

1. Login to Transform and go to your campaign. Go to the Settings & Licenses tab. Your current license inventory is shown in a blue box at the top of the page. Any Group Report licenses you have for this form will be listed. You can only apply one Group Report per campaign.

2. Go to the Group Report section below, click the “Apply a group report license to this campaign” button. A window will pop-up asking for confirmation.

3. The group report will become available after at least two (2) participants have completed your survey.

2. Go to your campaign. Go to the Settings & Licenses tab. Under the PURCHASE ADDITIONAL LICENSES section, click the Group Report link. This will take you to the appropriate page on www.mindgarden.com . After you purchase the Group Report, login to Transform and go to your campaign. Follow the instructions as above in the ‘already purchased’ section.

The group report will become available after at least two participants have completed your survey.

How do I add a Group Report to an existing campaign?

Login to Transform™ and click on Campaigns. Click on the campaign name and go to the Settings & Licenses tab. Under the Group Report section, click “Apply a group report license to this campaign”.

If this button does not appear, you must purchase a Group Report license. Scroll down to the Purchase Additional Licenses section. Click on the Group Report product. You will be redirected to the appropriate purchase page on www.mindgarden.com. Add the Group Report to your cart and checkout to add the license. Then, go back into your campaign settings and apply the group report to your campaign.

How do I access the Group Report?

Login to Transform™ and go to Campaigns. Click on the campaign name and go to the Reports & Data tab. Under the Group Report section, click “View Report”. The Group Report becomes available after at least one Participant completes the assessment.

Taking Your Assessment

Can I change my survey responses later?

No, a completed survey is closed. In special circumstances, a survey administrator may request that Mind Garden reopen a participant’s survey.

I cannot access my assessment.

You must use the same email address to login as the administrator used to add you as a Participant in the assessment. Contact your administrator to confirm which email address you should use. If you continue to have issues, have your administrator contact Mind Garden on your behalf.

Glossary of Terms

Administrator

The person(s) in charge of setting up the assessment(s), sending emails, and importing participants’ names and email addresses into the Transform™ system. An administrator can also be a participant. The administrator’s name appears in invitational emails to participants. If any issues arise, the administrator should contact Mind Garden.

Assessment

The questionnaire, survey, or inventory that is completed by the participant.

Campaign

A campaign is simply a grouping of participants and it can be as small or as large as you like. You set up a campaign to administer an online survey. Create as many campaigns as you need to organize your work. You can organize your campaigns by work group, by region, or by date for test/retest projects to help you visualize your groups more clearly and help you analyze large amounts of data.

Form

The term "form" is most often used to distinguish the self-rating from the other-rating versions of an assessment (e.g. Self Form vs. Rater Form).

Forms can also be distinguished:

by age group (e.g. FFWEL Adult Form or FFWEL Teen Form)

by other target population descriptions (e.g. CSEI School Form or POIS Manager Form)

to describe the mindset used while completing the assessment (e.g. FES Real Form vs. FES Ideal Form)

if you use our customization services (your project will be called your "Custom Form") to distinguish your customization from the original assessment

Group Norm

A Group Norm is a method to aggregate data in reports. If a Group Norm is set on a single campaign, aggregate scale scores from all campaign participants will be reported in the Individual Report and Group Report. If the same Group Norm is set on multiple campaigns, aggregate scale scores from all participants across all selected campaigns will be reported in the Individual Report and Group Report. Contact us to create Group Norms.

Instrument

The product as a whole (e.g., Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire™, Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory, Areas of Worklife Survey), including manuals, workbooks, and other accessory documents.

License

Each license gives permission to administer the specified assessment one time. If you want to use the Maslach Burnout Inventory™ (MBI) to assess 20 individuals, you must purchase at least 20 MBI licenses.

Multi-rater

A number of Mind Garden instruments are multi-rater, or self/observer assessments, meaning that several people rate a specified, target individual (e.g., “Becky B. Boss listens to me” versus “My boss listens to me”). A multi-rater campaign is a campaign using a multi-rater instrument.

Participant

A person who completes an assessment. In a multi-rater instrument, the term “Leader” (you are being rated by others) is often used instead of “participant” for those who are completing an assessment.

Report

A PDF document summarizing personal and/or group scores on the assessment. The report often includes strategies for developing desired behaviors. Reports are only accessible with Transform™ assessments. They must be purchased and are available to participants at the administrator’s discretion.

Remote Online Survey Site

A "remote" online survey site describes any website that allows you to conduct surveys and is not Mind Garden's Transform™ system. Permission must be given to reproduce any Mind Garden instrument on a remote online survey site. Examples of remote online survey sites include PsychData, Zoomerang, Qualtrics, and SurveyMonkey.

Transform

Transform™ is the Mind Garden online assessment system. With Transform, each participant has a unique identity so you can assess the same person over time or across many instruments. Or you can survey participants anonymously. Some instruments have a multi-rater or 360 structure, for self-assessment plus ratings by others. Customization services are available, and the Transform system enables automated data, scoring, and report output.

Transform Portfolio

Each administrator, participant, or customer who creates an account with Mind Garden, has access to a personal Transform Portfolio. The Portfolio facilitates use of Transform's many services including campaign management, account settings, and access to your assessments, reports, and documents.